


rain, sea, sun-kissed

by lovedream



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Confessions, Cuddling & Snuggling, Friends to Lovers, Kissing, M/M, Pining, inspired by jeno & jaemin's episode of battle trip from last year
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-08
Updated: 2020-06-08
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:35:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,872
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24614614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovedream/pseuds/lovedream
Summary: In the summer of 2019, Jeno and Jaemin arrive to a rainy Busan to film for their episode of the show "Battle Trip". The activities they do remind Jeno of poignant memories of their seven-year long friendship. It ends in an honest, heartfelt conversation.Inspired by real events from their episode of Battle Trip
Relationships: Lee Jeno/Na Jaemin
Comments: 12
Kudos: 153





	rain, sea, sun-kissed

The night before his and Jaemin’s trip to Busan, Jeno meticulously packed his bags. As he ensured he had his glasses and all his skincare, he was filled with a sparkling excitement. Jeno had gone to a lot of different places lately, but he didn’t consider that traveling. He and his bandmates would fly to a new country, get mobbed at the airport, take the van to the hotel, the concert venue, and back to the airport. The only landmarks they saw were whatever could be spotted through windows. But this was different. Busan would be a full day of exploring, eating, trying new activities, all with his best friend in the world.

“All packed?”

Jeno looked up to see Jaemin leaning against his doorframe. His hair was pulled back by a plastic headband and his skin was still dewy from skincare. The tips of his long blonde hair dripped water onto his shirt.

“Just about. Don’t know why I always pack ten extra briefs though.”

Jaemin laughed. Unlike the deep chuckle he reserved for broadcasts, Jaemin’s real laugh was melodic and boyish, ranging from low to high. It was contagious, and it made Jeno smile, too.

“I’m excited,” Jaemin said, traipsing into Jeno’s room to look out the window. His hair was so long that the ends of it remained tucked under the back collar of his sleep shirt. The moisture from his washed hair soaked the white cotton, making it transparent. Jeno wanted to reach out and pull it free. “I honestly can’t remember when you and I ever had an opportunity like this. Just the two of us – no concerts, no idol stuff. We’ll be filmed, sure, but even the crew will have to take breaks.” He turned to look at Jeno. “I can’t wait.”

Jeno nodded. “Me, too.”

-

“It’s raining.”

Jeno woke to the sound of the filming crew’s worried mumbling. When he followed their gazes toward the van window, he saw a dark grey sky and a drizzling rain that seemed to have no beginning or end. Raindrops pounded ceaselessly on the glass. Once he’d blinked the sleep out of his eyes, he turned to Jaemin. He was biting his chapped lower lip with a worried expression.

“Uh-huh, yeah. Understood. Sure, got it, I’ll ask them now.” The head of the filming crew lowered her phone and turned back to look at them. “Hey guys, so as it’s raining we have two options. We can either postpone the filming to an indefinite later date, which might result in cancellation, or we can continue ahead with the scheduled filming with raincoats and umbrellas. But keep in mind that if the rain gets too bad we might have to stop anyways.”

“We’ll film,” Jaemin blurted out. “If it’s okay with the crew, we’d really like to go through with it.”

Jeno looked at him in surprise. It was no secret within the dorm that rain could make Jaemin’s mood take a turn for the worst.

The film crew looked surprised too. They probably thought that the two of them would be too concerned about getting their perfect hair and makeup messed up in the rain to want to film. “Uh, alright then.” She raised her phone to her ear again. “Yeah, they said they’re okay to film. Mhm, we’ll get them some raincoats from the convenience store…”

Jeno scooted closer to Jaemin. “Jaemin, what’s up? Is everything okay?”

Jaemin snapped out of his worried reverie and beamed at Jeno. In the blink of an eye, he turned on his over-the-top aegyo voice. “Oh, our precious Jeno! Don’t you worry about a thing, of course I’m okay. I just want to spend a day with my best friend is all. We don’t get many chances like this y’know.”

“I know, but-”

“And we won’t get sick! We’ll wear those plastic ponchos over our clothes and I’ll carry a giant umbrella for the both of us.”

“Jaemin, it’s okay, I can carry my own umbrella. I’m just concerned because-”

“And I’ve bookmarked some amazing restaurants that we simply have to try. Who knows when we’ll be here next! Three flavors of clams, tripe and udon stir-fry, noodles with radish and boiled pork.”

“That sounds great, but-”

“Hey guys, we’re here,” a crew member said. “Let’s grab your things and get this over with.”

-

It was some of the worst weather Jeno had ever found himself outside in. Not only was rain falling, but because it was summer, it was also hot, humid and muggy. It was all Jeno could do to hold up his clear umbrella and not sweat his makeup off. He marveled at Jaemin’s professionalism as he managed to smile and act sweet for the cameras. No one would be able to detect his dislike of the weather. All they would see was Jaemin, bright against the haze, looking like a manhwa character as he gazed through his clear umbrella at the rain.

As they waited for the bus to take them to their next destination, Jeno suddenly remembered something from a long time ago.

“Jaemin-ah, do you remember? When we used to take the bus as trainees.”

“Yeah, to Apujeong Rodeo.”

It had been one of the first things they did together as friends. They were so young then, just barely thirteen, and taking the bus together without parents seemed like such an exciting adventure. They felt independent, and a little giddy with their freedom. To Jeno, it seemed like a lifetime ago.

“The bus is here,” Jaemin said, and Jeno was brought back to the present from his memories. It was strange how so much time has passed since that memory but Jaemin was still next to him, still taking the bus with him.

Somewhere along the forty-five minute bus ride, Jeno fell asleep on Jaemin’s shoulder. Falling asleep for a few minutes whenever they could was something they had learned as idols. It happened all the time in their vans. There had even been times where Jeno would allow Chenle or Jisung to lie down in the back row of the van and use his lap as a pillow. Still, when they wake up and get off the bus, Jeno feels a twinge of discomfort knowing that such a vulnerable part of him has been exposed for the world to see. 

“How long were we asleep, ten minutes?” Jaemin asked. His voice sounded gravelly from sleep, and Jeno’s heart pounded. His throat felt dry.

“I don’t know.”

-

A few months after his debut, Jeno had spent a weekend at home with his family. It was all going very normally until after dinner on his last night. His parents sat him down at their small dining table and started to ask him random questions about his new life.

He had filled them in as best as he could. _We get along, all of us. I’m especially close to Jaemin, but I like all of them. Jaemin and I spend a lot of time together. He cooks for me. We go to the convenience store together. Jaemin drinks too much coffee and eats too much sugar, it makes me worried. Mark and Haechan are so talented, I feel bad sometimes, but Jaemin says we’ll get there in our own time. The managers push me to the front and center a lot because they think I’m the most handsome, but isn’t Jaemin handsome, too?_

As he went on, his parents exchanged glances.

_Jeno,_ his dad said _, you know you can tell us anything, right?_

At that moment, Jeno’s cat, Bongshik, jumped onto Jeno’s lap and curled up there. Jeno sneezed. _Sorry dad, what was that?_

His parents looked at each other again, and then the three of them burst out into laughter.

_Nothing serious sweetheart, just that you need to know you can tell us anything._

_Of course I know that. Hey, can we get another cat?_

“Jeno, come _on_ , we have to catch the ferry,” Jaemin said, pulling his hand.

“Huh?”

“The ferry!”

“Oh, right,” Jeno said. He blinked once, refocusing on the fact that he was very much being filmed and could not be zoning out to relive random memories. He tightened his grip on Jaemin’s hand and ran with him. The cold rain stung their faces and they almost slipped more than once. It was so ridiculous, and it was so _fun_. Jeno couldn’t help but smile as they made it onto the boat in good time.

The filming crew herded them onto the upper deck as the ferry took off and turned on the cameras. Jeno couldn’t fathom what kind of footage they hoped to get in this situation. The weather was so terrible that they were the only people on the boat. They looked out at the slate grey sea and the pearly gray sky. The lack of sunshine made the trees along the coast appear a deep, emerald green.

The wind picked up and eventually the rain made it impossible to film. “We’re heading to the lower deck,” a cameraman said as he turned off and bagged his equipment. “Are you coming?”

Jeno glanced at Jaemin and read his eyes right away. His introverted friend needed a moment without the cameras. “We’ll join you in a few minutes,” Jeno said.

As the camera crew left, Jaemin breathed a sigh of relief. “Thanks.”

“No problem. Well, except for the icy rain hitting our faces.”

Jaemin chuckled. “Yeah, the weather’s pretty bad. It’s a shame.” He looked down at his freezing hands on his lap. It hurt Jeno to see Jaemin so disappointed. He looked around, making sure all the crew members were below deck, then took Jaemin’s hand in his. Jeno’s own hands were cold, too, but the friction between their fingertips lit a spark he was sure they both felt.

“I wanted this to be different for us,” Jaemin said. “You’ve been working so hard this time, Jen. Now that Mark’s not with us, I know a lot of his old responsibilities fall on you. The managers coordinate our times through you. You’re up before us and you sleep after we sleep. I just wanted you to be able to relax.”

Jeno tightened his grip. He could feel his pounding heart against his chest. He could barely keep his eyes open because of the way the rain was hitting his face, but he could tell Jaemin’s shoulders were sagging.

“Jaemin, it’s okay. Really.” Hesitantly, he wrapped an arm around his friend’s shoulders. Their plastic raincoats were slick with rainwater, making it hard to keep his hold, but he didn’t let go. “I’m having fun. I’m with you, aren’t I? When do we not have fun?” It’s said in a half-joking tone, one that they all adopted when things got sentimental.

Jaemin laughed softly. It could barely be heard over the sound of the ocean lapping against their boat. “I don’t know, maybe when it’s somehow humid and cold at the same time and the rain is stinging our faces so hard that it feels like it’ll cut our skin open?”

A beat passed, and then they were falling over each other, laughing so hard that tears threatened to spill. Jeno could barely breathe, and when Jaemin fell against his chest and his hair tickled Jeno’s neck he only laughed harder.

When their laughter died down and their hands were still clasped together, Jeno wiped a few stray raindrops from Jaemin’s face. “Feel better?” he asked.

Jaemin smiled; a soft, crooked smile that leaned to one side. “I do. You always make me feel better, Jeno.” His gaze fell downwards, towards Jeno’s lips. Like he always did when Jaemin look at him like that, Jeno ignored the rush of heat it sent through him. Instead, he chose to believe that Jaemin was just messing with him and shoved his head away.

“Good, because I’ve been having a great time, and I want you to, too.”

“Oh, don’t worry, we’re going to eat lunch. And then jet surfing. I’ll have plenty of fun.”

“Good.”

-

There was something intimate about eating lunch with Jaemin at this restaurant. Aside from the filming crew, they were the only customers present. And after a while, even the filming crew had to turn off their cameras to eat. After that, their only company was the elderly woman who continuously brought out more dishes for them to try.

“Thank you, auntie. It’s delicious,” Jaemin said. He asked about the seasoning of one particularly tasty side dish, likely planning to recreate it at home for his bandmates. The auntie, charmed, patted his head and said “wait a minute, I’ll bring some more out just for you.”

Eating together like this, Jeno thought, was so special. He couldn’t remember the last time the two of them ate at a restaurant without hoodies, masks, sunglasses, and hats. It felt like…a date.

_“I miss him, mom.” Jeno said._

_“So go play with him, Jeno. If your manager calls, we’ll cover for you.” His mom waved his cell phone in the air. “Take mine if you need to use it for navigation or to reach us.”_

_Jeno gave her a hug and she kissed his forehead. He was already taller than her. “Thank you,” he whispered, then rushed out the door._

_In under an hour, he was at Jaemin’s doorstep. It had been weeks, maybe months since he’d last seen his friend. They texted almost every day, but it wasn’t the same. In fact, it was painful._

_“Jeno?” Jaemin’s mom looked surprised when she answered the door._

_“Hi auntie, I came to see Jaemin and give him a birthday present.”_

_“Oh. Oh, that’s so kind of you. You won’t get in trouble?”_

_“No, it’ll be fine. This is important.”_

_“Okay, come in.” She spoke breathlessly. Jeno stepped out of his shoes and quietly followed her to Jaemin’s room. She knocked gently. “Jaemin? There’s someone here to see you. Is it okay to come in or do you want to come out?”_

_“Come in.”_

_Go ahead, she mouthed to Jeno._

_He took a breath and pushed the door open. “Jaemin?” Before he could say another word, there were arms around his neck. Jeno returned the hug, relieved. “Happy birthday, Jaemin.”_

_“What are you doing here?” Jaemin asked. He pulled back, and his eyes were glittering._

_“Here to take you on a date,” he teased. They laughed._

_“My knight in shining armor. Thank god, I’ve been getting so bored.” Jaemin started changing his clothes as he spoke. He pulled on all-black garments, a mask, and a cap. He looked to Jeno with a dazzling smile. “Ready?”_

_Jeno stretched out his upturned hand. “Ready.”_

“Try this,” Jaemin said, jolting Jeno out of his daydream.

Jeno looked at the outstretched chopsticks in front of him. “There’s no cameras, Jaemin. I can feed myself.”

“But I want to feed you.”

“Why?”

“Can you just hurry? My arm’s getting tired.”

Jeno chuckled. Jaemin and his complaining were a force to be reckoned with. “Fine,” he said, and opened his mouth. Jaemin gently placed a bite of boiled pork with vegetables on his tongue. Jeno was only too glad to blame the heat that striped across his face on the dab of red pepper paste.

“I wish we could do this more,” Jeno blurted out. “You and me. In public. Nothing to worry about.” A silent beat passed.

Jaemin didn’t look up from his food. He pushed the vegetables on his plate around. Something long gone unsaid hung heavy between them.

“Sorry, that was-”

“I do, too, Jeno.” He looked up and met Jeno’s gaze. “But even if we weren’t idols, there would be something else to worry about, wouldn’t there?”

Jeno almost choked. What was Jaemin implying?

“Hey, it’s time to go,” a crew member called from halfway down the stairs. “Wrap up and meet us outside in ten minutes.”

And just like that, the moment was broken. Jaemin turned to her, put on his bright idol smile and told her they would be down quickly after going to the restroom and washing their hands.

“Well, ready to jet surf my friend?” Jaemin asked. “How about a bet? The first one to successfully stay up for ten seconds gets a favor from the other.”

“Jaemin,” Jeno whined. “You know you’re going to win.”

“I do not! You’re way more muscle-y than me.”

“But you’re good at everything.”

“Hah, well, can’t deny that. Come on, Jeno, please?” Jaemin pouted. Jeno almost shot him right back down again, but he had a feeling there was something Jaemin wasn’t telling him. It seemed important, so Jeno gave in.

“Fine. You win.”

“Great.” Jaemin swallowed his last bite of food. “Let’s go.”

-

_Jeno lay on the couch with his head in his mom’s lap and his feet in his dad’s. His mom stroked his hair, waiting for him to speak._

_“What does it mean?” he asked, his voice a trembling whisper._

_“What does what mean, baby?”_

_“What does it mean that even if I’ve spent every waking moment of the last four years of my life with someone, I still can’t get enough of them?”_

_His parents stayed silent, listening._

_“He knows me so well. He takes care of me, even when he doesn’t take care of himself. He knows just what I need and better than that, he knows what I want. Even when I find myself needing a break from the others, I’m never sick of him. I- I seek him out. Bother him. Cling to him. Ask him to be with me, even if we’re not doing anything.” Jeno gasps for breath. “What does it mean that I don’t want to imagine a future without Jaemin?”_

_Jeno’s dad squeezes his ankle. “What that means, my angel, is that you are very, very lucky.”_

As he watched his friend run out of the ocean towards him with a grin lighting up his face, Jeno realized that yes, he was indeed very lucky.

“I win,” Jaemin said. His eyes were bright and fevered, the exhilaration of jet surfing still buzzing under his skin. “I get a favor.”

“Not gonna ask me to kiss you, are you?” Jeno asked, surprised by his own boldness. Jaemin shoved him playfully. He fell into the surf, laughing so hard he was unable to stop even as seawater poured in between his teeth. Jaemin followed him down into the wet sand, and together they enjoyed the waves crashing against them until the sun set.

-

“Jaemin please, I’m so exhausted, let’s wrap up and go back to the hotel.” Jeno said. They had just finished dinner. After a full day of non-stop activities, the exhaustion of performing for cameras the whole time, a full stomach was the nail in the coffin—Jeno needed to sleep. But Jaemin insisted that they had one more stop to go.

“I’m sorry, I know you must be exhausted,” Jaemin replied. In the dark backseat of the van, Jeno grew drowsier by the second. “I really want to do this though.”

Jeno just whined. It wouldn’t be so bad if it was just going to be the two of them, but the filming crew was still with them, too. He was already feeling exposed from having been recorded as he’d remembered such delicate memories throughout the day. The camera couldn’t hear his thoughts, but he felt scared that some things could be seen on his face.

“Please? This can be your favor you owe me. Just come with me for this final thing. Then I promise, back to the hotel. It’ll be quick.”

“Really? You want to call in your favor for this?”

Jaemin looked at Jeno as best he could in the dark. Gently, he brushed a strand of Jeno’s hair. “Yeah, I really do.”

In the dark, Jeno’s face turned scarlet. “Alright. Let’s get this over with.”

_“Jaemin, let’s eat together, please. Please please please make me something?”_

_Jaemin laughed as Jeno tried to latch onto him. They horsed around in Jaemin’s bed until Jaemin finally allowed it and they settled down with Jaemin on his back, Jeno pressed against his side and one of his arms draped around Jaemin’s waist._

_“Why do you initiate cuddle sessions with the others and not me?” Jeno asked. There was a teasing lilt to his voice, but it was only to mask the hurt he didn’t want to admit he felt._

_“I didn’t think you would like it.”_

_Jeno pouted. “That’s not it. You do it to Renjun and Jisung all the time and they definitely don’t like it.”_

_“You’re right. That’s not the reason.”_

_“Then what is?” Jeno’s voice had dropped to a whisper. The room was silent. He could hear the beating of his own heart as Jaemin turned towards him and inched closer, and closer still. Before Jeno could register what was happening, the ghost of a kiss lingered on his forehead._

_Jeno struggled to open his mouth, to say something, anything, but the moment was gone. Jaemin got up from the bed and started towards the kitchen. “What did you wanna eat?”_

“Jeno, open your eyes.”

_No,_ he thought _, let me stay in this memory. Let me go back to it._

“Come on Jeno,” Jaemin’s voice murmured low in his ear. “Just open your eyes, then we’ll go back to the hotel.”

Unable to resist what Jaemin’s voice told him to do, Jeno opened his heavy eyelids. A bright message slowly revealed itself on an LED screen in front of him.

_“The weather today was dull, but with you, everything shone brightly. Let’s do our best. Jeno, I love you. – Jaemin.”_

As the message was revealed, Jeno read it out loud for the camera. He nearly choked up while reading it but managed to control his voice around the lump in his throat and the stinging behind his eyes. Jeno knew that Jaemin could sense he was about to cry, because Jaemin began a loud, boasting spiel about how he prepared the message for him. It broke the tension just enough for Jeno to laugh and not feel like he was about to crumble in front of everyone.

“You did well,” Jeno said to his friend, even though there was so much more he wanted to say. But he couldn’t, so instead he held Jaemin’s hand. Who cared if the camera caught it? He couldn’t stand to not be touching Jaemin in that moment. He held on until the cameras cut for the last time that weekend and didn’t let go until they climbed into the van.

-

They got back to the hotel around ten o’clock. Everyone was exhausted, so the elevator ride up to their floor was silent. Once the managers told them what time to be ready to head back to Seoul in the morning, they left Jeno and Jaemin in their room. Jeno showered while Jaemin called his mom, then he showered, too.

Jeno packed his bags. He tried to be meticulous the way he was when he was packing for the trip but could not focus. The memories of the entire weekend played like a movie in his mind, each snapshot more beautiful than the last.

Jeno zipped up his suitcase and then perched on the ledge by the window. The night view of Busan was different from the other hotel window views, because Jeno could see where the city lights cut off and the sea began. The same sea where Jaemin had looked like a movie star on the water. Where Jeno had fell against him laughing, not caring how much seawater he swallowed. Where the sunset had made Jaemin’s eyes gleam feverishly.

Before long, Jaemin exited the restroom with a puff of hot shower steam behind him. He didn’t see Jeno at first, toweling his long hair dry. Jeno stared. He felt unable to look away. Suddenly, Jaemin stilled as he became aware of eyes on him and looked up to meet Jeno’s gaze. Normally, Jaemin would respond with a cocky smile. Maybe a flirty remark – _like what you see?_ If he was close, he might even pointedly look down at Jeno’s lips. But now he seemed frozen too.

As if pulled by some invisible force, Jeno stood and crossed the room to stand in front of him. He walked with a steady purpose that belied his palpitating heartbeat.

“I, um.” Jeno gulped. How was it that he could feel nervous in front of the person who’d seen him in more vulnerable and awkward moments than his own parents? “Listen, I—I want to thank you for that message, Jaemin. I don’t think anyone has ever done something like that for me. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Jaemin swallowed visibly. “Like I said, I wanted this weekend to be special for you.”

“This has been…” Jeno took a deep breath. He looked at Jaemin. “This has been the best weekend of my life. Even if there were cameras.”

Jaemin inched closer to him. It made Jeno want to back away, but he fought the urge and stood his ground. He wanted to face this, whatever this was. A beat of silence passed. Then, in a low, shaking voice, Jaemin spoke. “There are no cameras now.”

Jeno’s hands shot out and twisted in Jaemin’s shirt, pulling him in at the same time that Jaemin’s fingers interlocked behind Jeno’s neck, warm on his skin, and then crashed their lips together. The force of it was so great that it hurt. They pulled back, both a little shocked. With just an exchange of glances they were able to communicate that they needed to try again, slower this time.

Jaemin inched forward and caught Jeno’s lips between his own. Jeno closed his eyes and let his hands unclench from Jaemin’s shirt. Instead, he slowly trailed them up Jaemin’s chest, over his shoulders, and let them hang down his back as they kissed again. Jeno moved his mouth against Jaemin’s, trying to match his pace. Jaemin’s lips were moist from lip balm as they slid against Jeno’s. It made Jeno’s brain feel fuzzy but made his skin feel alive.

Jaemin’s hands trailed down Jeno’s sides and wrapped around his waist, pulling him closer. They exchanged one final, clinging kiss before they pulled apart to rest their foreheads against each other’s. Their mouths hung open, breathing each other’s air, eager to be pressed together again.

Before he had completely regained his breath, Jaemin smiled. “This was the best weekend of my life, too.” He brought up a hand against the back of Jeno’s head, making the skin of their foreheads press even closer together and their noses bump.

“It could get better.” Jeno blurted. Jaemin’s hand on his waist tightened its grip. “I mean. We could share a bed tonight. Cuddle.”

Jaemin laughed, joyous, then kissed his forehead. “Yes, please.”

-

It took some shuffling around, but eventually Jeno and Jaemin settled into a comfortable position in one of the two beds. At first they tried spooning, but Jeno couldn’t take not seeing Jaemin’s face. So they moved around until they were facing each other. Although Jeno had gotten what he wanted, he found himself glancing away again and again as they talked. Eventually, Jaemin wrapped an arm around Jeno’s waist and tugged him closer.

“Why can’t you look at me?” he asked. His voice was light and happy.

“I don’t know.”

“Shy?”

“Maybe…I really don’t know.”

“Scared?”

Jeno looked at Jaemin. “I think so. Not because of my parents – they already know – but because—”

“Wait, your parents already know? How? It just happened!”

“Oh. Uh. Long story short, they knew before I knew, I guess. I talk about you _all the time_ to them.”

Jaemin beamed at him. “Okay. Sorry, I interrupted, what are you scared of? Our bandmates? They’ll be okay with it.”

“No, that’s not it. I guess I’m scared of you. Not _you_ really, just…I know you’re more, well, experienced than me. Not that I haven’t done anything, but you’re just so much more confident about intimacy and stuff.”

Jaemin stilled. Carefully, he took Jeno’s hand and held onto it under their blanket. “Listen, Jeno. There’s something I’ve learned. If I kiss someone I love for three hours, and during that time, I learn how much pressure to apply, where they like my hands to rest on their body, what noises they make when I kiss them slowly, how their breath sounds when I kiss them fast, if they like their hair gently raked through or pulled while I kiss them, then that is more “experience” than if I hook up with some random stranger for fifteen minutes in a dark club bathroom corner.”

“Woah. That sounds nice. The kissing I mean, not the club bathroom,” Jeno said.

“It does, right? Not that I would know. I’ve never been lucky enough to kiss someone I love for _that_ long.”

“Oh, well. Um. We could kiss for that long.”

Jeno was cut off before he could say another word. Jaemin’s lips found Jeno’s in the dark, still tasting of saltwater, and they kissed until the sun peeked at them through their hotel room window from beyond the Busan sea.

**Author's Note:**

> hi, you can call me sof! finally, i'm posting my first work for the nct fandom! despite having worked on nct fics for a few years now, i found myself unable to finish or post any of those works. at long last, here is a little nomin fluff. from start to finish, this <5000 word fic took me about a month to complete. i hope it's okay. 
> 
> i had previously written for several other kpop fandoms (tvxq, snsd, shinee, exo, etc) on livejournal roughly between the years 2011-2016 under a few different usernames but i've since moved on from those accounts. consequently it's been about three years since i've posted any fic, so i feel like i'm pretty rusty.
> 
> i had no patience about getting this out into the world, so it is not beta'd. i have no idea at all if it's any good. like, i really, truly, do not know. so please let me know if you liked it. please please please. kudos and comments will be inexplicably appreciated, treasured, and they will make me happier than i know how to say. and they will absolutely motivate me to write more. there is so, so much i want to write for nct/wayv ficdom, so any encouragement is very welcome.
> 
> i am on twitter but i deactivated my main account about three weeks ago. i may or may not come back to it. if i do, then i will mention it somewhere here - either post an edit in this notes section or on the next fic.


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